Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-05-06
PESTS OF AFRICA.

In the southeastern part Of South
Africa, writes correspondent of the
San Francisco Chronicle, there is located
the crown colony of Natal. 1t is but
little known to the world at large. even
at the present time, and until few years
ago, when the Zulus under Cetewayo
fought the British troops for a long time
successfully, and the tragic and mourn
full death of the young Prince Imperial
or France within its boundaries brought
it prominently into notice, 1t was almost
terra incognito. Yet. small as it is in
regard to territory and population, it can
hold its own with larger and more pre-
tentious countries in The variety and
countless number of its insects and rep
tiles. The Termites, or white ants,
build for themselves houses or hills Of
an average height of three feet above
the ground and three feet In diameter at
the base, conical in shape and sometimes
adorned with one or two pinnacles. In
rare cases the hills rise TO u height Of
four or five feet, the substance of which
they are constructed, earth mixed with
secretion from their own bodies, being
as hare. as cement. Mixed with water II
is used as mortar in laying bricks and
AS a covering for the floors of kaiir
kraals and the houses of the Dutch in-
habitants. 1t makes strong water and
damp proof floor. The ant houses in the
interior are divided into apartments COLI
nected by galleries. The ants have
among themselves regular guards and
soldiers, who, when IA breach is made in
their dwelling, rush forth in its defense
and muster the working ants, who curl
ously enough are without eyes, to re.
pair the damage, and in Il surprisingly
short time the swarms Of ants will have
effected all repairs and everything will
be right and quiet again. An animal
dies on the Veldt, soon the vultures will
have torn of his hide and devour all Of
1t excepting the bones, then the ants in
their turn clean and polish those so that
within twenty.four hours after death
there will remain only the bones, smooth
and polished inside and out, and what
was the day previous living animal is
now a disjointed and whiicned skeleton.
These ants are most destructive to ev-
erything wooden. They attack and eat
the doors and window frames, floor tim
bers and floors of houses. making no
show Of their rayagcs on the exterior,
but devouring the wood until there re-
mains only a shell, and to the surprise
of the dweller. the slamming of door,
or the dropping of window may result
i'm the total collapse of its frame, which
falls in cloud Of dust. The black ants
make most remarkable journeys or mi
grations, aud when on the road travel
In immense numbers-in body from
foot to several yards in width, and being
from half an hour TO an hour passing a
given point. In these journeys they
turn neither to the right hand nor to the
left, stopping only when coming to wa
ter. Any obstruction, like house or
tree, they pass over, swarming up one.
side and down the other. Should they
find an open door or window, woe be TO
that house. The Kafrs in their cruel
manner of furnishing their enemies.
sometimes fasten the poor victim to the
ground In way of these ants, and he is
almost devoured before life becomes ex-
.inct. The insects will not leave the
body until every bone is polished. The
ant hills are to the traveller useful in one
way. By scooping ont one side and part
of the interior and making fire In the
cavity, he has a most excellent oven,
which retains the heat we'll. | have
often eaten bread and meat baked In
these primitive but good ovens. A pc
culiarify of these ants is that on a warm
evening, about tile middle of March,
millions of them with wings-said TO be
females-infest the houses, attracted by
the lights. Their wings are light aud
eauzy, lasting for this night only. They
drop them of and disappear. have
seen flying ants so thick in billiard
room as TO put stop 10 the playing,
and so much OF nuisance as TO drive
people away from n dining-table.
Sitting in my room one evening Rad
ing, my attention was drawn to re-
markable looking insect, which sat up
on its launches before me. IL was of a
bright emerald-green color, three inches
long, and evidently Of the grasshoEper
species. 1t had face like deaths
head. with large prorruding eyes, which
Il rolled abont in most comical man
ner. Its fore-legs resembIed arms with
hands, which It held up on either side
of its face like horrified old woman.
Altogether It Is most ludicrous insect.
Il Is called By the inhabitants the Hot
tenlot God" The Kafils are very SUI
perstitiaus about il, believing that It i